BY GRAHAM WILLIAMS
MELBOURNE — Maintenance workers at the BHP factory in Hastings decided to return to work on June 14 after beating the "Big Australian". They had been on strike since May 21. The 280 workers, who were fighting BHP's attempts to outsource all maintenance work, had been threatened with legal action and attacked by riot police and horses just days earlier.
The workers, members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) or the Australian Manufacturers Workers Union (AMWU), have maintained their position of being one of the few BHP sites in the country where most maintenance work has not been contracted out.
"This dispute was much more sinister than just BHP versus the workers", said David Waldron, an ETU steward. "The 130 police, horses and helicopters that were used in the early hours on June 12, show that the Australian Industry Group and the state and federal governments were right behind BHP in this dispute."
Some 40 picketers had received writs from the company (since withdrawn) for "damaging" BHP's profits. Federal employment minister Tony Abbott labelled the workers "industrial criminals" for being prepared to shut down the car industry if their industrial action continued.
Negotiations had been taking place for 12 months when the Australian Workers Union (AWU), which covers the majority of workers in the production section, agreed to BHP demands for more contractors, casuals and outsourcing of work. This left maintenance workers with little choice but to establish a picket line to protect their jobs.
Many of the picketers expressed frustration with the production workers for not supporting the picket. At a meeting of AWU members on June 12, AWU officials supported a proposal that their members load trucks that made it through the picket. This gave the green light for BHP to order the police action that followed.
The picketers received a lot of support from the Hastings community. Local butchers, bakers and pizza parlours donated food. Hairdressers even offered $2 haircuts at the picket.
"Many people in the local community realise that if BHP lays off workers, then it is going to have a real impact on their livelihood", said Waldron.
The picket was well-attended by the strikers' families and friends. Workers from nearby workplaces, such as Tycat, which also recently completed a successful industrial struggle, offered solidarity.
BHP had attempted to move steel by ship from Hastings to Geelong, where it was to be unloaded to avoid the Hastings picket. Geelong union activists and community members thwarted this when they established a 24-hour "community picket" on June 4.
A jubilant David Waldron told GLW after the strike was won: "This agreement will include guaranteed job security for all current full-time employees and establish a mechanism for a preferred contractor list.
"This is a great win. I have learnt that 250 strong and united workers can defeat any attack, whether legal or industrial, and withstand intimidation, even from the federal government. I'd like to thank all workers and the community in Hastings, Geelong and elsewhere who showed their support and solidarity."
From Green Left Weekly, June 19, 2002.
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